BP buying up Gulf scientists for legal defense, newspaper alleges

The Mobile Press-Register published an article on its website Friday alleging that BP has been offering lucrative contracts and signing bonuses to top scientists at universities around the Gulf of Mexico as part of its defense against oil spill litigation.

John David Mercer / The Mobile Press-Register archive"We told them there was no way we would agree to any kind of restrictions on the data we collect. It was pretty clear we wouldn't be hearing from them again after that," said Bob Shipp, head of marine sciences at the University of South Alabama. "We didn't like the perception of the university representing BP in any fashion."

BP PLC even tried to sign up the entire marine sciences department at an Alabama university. The university declined due to confidentiality requirements the company sought to impose.

BP declined to answer questions posed by the newspaper.

Several scientists said they were offered $250 per hour by BP lawyers.

Scientists from Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University and Texas A&M University have already accepted offers, according to academic officials.

Robert Wiygul, an Ocean Springs, Miss., lawyer who specializes in environmental law, said after reviewing a copy of an agreement, said: "This is not an agreement to do research for BP. This is an agreement to join BP's legal team." He also said it buys silence as well as services, due to its confidentiality clauses.

Richard Shaw, associate dean of LSU's School of the Coast and Environment, said that the BP contracts are already hindering the scientific community's ability to monitor the affects of the Gulf spill.

"The first order of business at the research meetings is to get all the disclosures out. Who has a personal connection to BP? We have to know how to deal with that person," Shaw said. "People are signing on with BP because the government funding to the universities has been so limited. It's a sad state of affairs."